Clairemont Students Walkout and Speak Up Against Gun Violence

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Students at Clairemont High School took a stand on March 14th alongside thousands of students all across America who walked out of class at 10am. This event was extremely emotional for many. “I don’t like waking up and hearing about all the events on the news that include moments like this,” stated CHS sophomore Noah Hascall. “I hate listening to reports of school shootings. Plus this means that good innocent people that probably had a great future won’t be able to have it anymore.” Hascall added.

Hascall is not alone in his feelings, but many other students have a different view on these walkouts. “The walkout was pointless and didn’t change anything it still won’t change anything. We’re not old enough to vote yet so this protest wouldn’t of and isn’t going to change anything,” said Skyler Sporer a junior “The only thing I can agree with is stricter background checks but statistics given by the Center of Disease Control show that guns really aren’t a problem. Only 11,000 lives are taken from homicides a year with guns, excluding suicides. Five hundred thousand to 3 million lives are saved a year because someone uses their gun to protect themselves,” Sporer explained. He did not cite a source for this statistic.

Students head out to protest

Students at schools all over the country not only walked out, but many found new and unique ways to protest. Senior Amanda Sabin who helped organize CHS’s walk out said, “I planned a memorial for the victims of the Parkland shooting on the 14th because I believe the purpose of that day was to remember and honor the lives that were lost. I look forward to organizing and participating in the in the full fledged walkout next month, this will be our time to be angry and vocal about the current state of our gun laws.”

Protests occurred all over the nation, including at elementary schools. Lois Beckett a reporter for The Guardian U.S. who covers guns and gun violence tweeted, “It is freezing cold and these 60+ elementary school protesters are lying completely still, and no one is making a sound, just the posters flapping a little over their bodies. Alexandria, Virginia.”

Many supporters of the walkout believe that the protests represent a realization of power and influence by young people that have been “raised on social media” and who have grown up in a time of endless wars, highly publicized mass shootings and virulent national politics. (Washington Post)

Bryn Brentnall a sophomore at CHS explained her views on the Parkland shooting: “ So many lives have been lost just because guns aren’t as regulated as they should be. No life should be less important than having the rights of owning a gun. Especially if 73% of murders have been committed via firearm. Also, students shouldn’t fear going to school just because someone can easily cause a school shooting. Schools should be a safe place, not a possible resting place.”

This tragedy has truly woken up the youth in America and they are ready to take action.